Lunar Cry
by Maven
Summary: Its ... um ....well different. Just try it out please!


Chapter One: Seifer's Vow

Chapter One: Seifer's Vow 

1: It Begins . . . Again

After what we all thought was the end, a shadow falls on the land. The wind blowing viciously through the tree branches as a man stands solemnly on a low laying cliff. His grey-silver cloak whips out behind his solid body, his face grave as ash.

The clouds are mounting into the night sky, as the storm begins to rage down on the land. Yet a hard determination remains within his icy blue eyes. His sword, a famous gunblade, is held within one of his powerful hands, lays dormant by his side.

The moon, barely visible now due to the thunderstorm, is turning blood red. Every nook on its surface is a shifting swarming animal, moving fluidly like the blood cells in his veins. Shaken by the ghastly scene that he's seen before, he turns his head away.

A cold breeze brushes by him holding a familiar sight; a feather whips violently by his face. **Rinoa**. He bows his head again and wishes that the feather had taken another path. But like life, a feather cannot choose its path . . . it's way is forced by the destined hands of fate.

He shudders, remembering the past . . . those times of confusion and hatred. He could never really get over the ideas that he held then. His romantic dream had been nothing but a flaw in reality. He left his companions . . . his friends, although at the time he would never have admitted that they were even acquaintances. Just so he could get what he wanted . . . greed, such a shame.

Turning his eyes outward from the depths of his own existence, he notices that he's no longer alone on this flower-covered cliff. The storm above him is raging its intricate ballet between light and darkness and sound and silence.

"Edea? What are you doing here?" The man asks.

"I see you've noticed that it has started again Seifer, the Lunar Cry has begun." She says not really answering his question. A bolt of lightning cast her image as a silhouette for a moment.

"But why is it happening again? What does this all mean for us?" he asks as timid as a young boy who asks his mother for a new Triple Triad card.

"Evil is coming, I can sense it. Not just the monsters from the moon, but something even more catastrophic" she says nearly having to yell over the howl of the wind in her ears.

"What kind of evil? Whatever . . . what should I do?" Seifer asks. He stands in silence for a moment; hating himself for not understanding what she is saying.

"Seifer . . . settle yourself. You must play a major role in helping us, and the world. I need you again . . . we all need you." She says attempting to comfort a person who is as antisocial as a snail.

"Let me get this straight . . . you need me? For what, I am nothing but a failure." Seifer replies sounding more and more depressed with each small word uttered.

"We need to find Squall and Rinoa! We need you and the SeeDs' to help us find them! Now come with me, the Garden is about to leave. Think what I've said through, it's true we do need you!" she says luring him away from the edge of the cliff.

They walk side-by-side back toward the hovering Garden. Edea seems to float over the green grasses, her head held high, like a princess. Yet Seifer drags through the grass with heavy feet, leaving two distinct lines of passing. His head held low.

2: The Elevator

** **

**They want me to help find Rinoa . . . whatever.**

Seifer walks slowly through the vacant second floor hallways, looking for someone to talk to, yet scared to approach anyone. His arms dangle lifelessly from his body, his hair wet and disarrayed from the wild storm outside.

**If I find Rinoa, then I must find Squall, argh!**

As he walks towards the elevator the lights above him flicker. A second of darkness hits his eyes, and then the light returns. He boards the elevator to ascend to meet with headmaster Cid. Selphie is already in the elevator and nods cautiously to Seifer.

"Hey Seifer . . ."she says turning her eyes away from his. Seifer doesn't answer her; he doesn't even seem to acknowledge she is there.

**These children of fate . . . I could have had the same fame they have.**

The elevator stops. Trapped within the small metal box, Seifer looks up. The overhead light slowly dims out and is gone. 

"Stay calm, it's only the storm." Seifer says, not really directing it at Selphie, but more to calm his own emotions.

"I will…" she answers.

**Trapped, literally this time. Why do I always feel like this? Where is my heart now?**

__He sits down on the floor of the elevator and closes his eyes to the darkness around him. Turning his attention inside again. His face, though not visible is torn and distorted, his thoughts eating at him. A small moan escapes his lips, sending shudders of grief down his spine.

"What's wrong?" Selphie asks, bending down to touch his shoulder. Seifer's hand flashes out and catches her approaching hand, gripping it tightly. She jumps back and hits the wall, startled at the vicious accuracy of his coordination even in the darkness.

"Just leave me alone…" he answers very coldly. He puts his hands over his face as if to mask the horrible being he has become, the monster that is the result of greed. But everyone has noticed his growing depression; the Headmaster has even put a watch on his life.

**Why does everyone pretend to care for me, I am useless.**

The elevator's light winked on, and Selphie turned away from the cowardly pose that Seifer was in. Seifer reached with one hand and pressed the button marked 3F and the elevator began to move again. Seifer slowly made his way to his feet, brushing himself off with a distracted determination.

3: Conspiracy of the Storm

"We are going towards Esthar, I think someone there might know about Squall's whereabouts. We had received a message about a week ago stating that Rinoa and Squall had just passed through on their way to Esthar Sorceress Memorial." Headmaster Cid says with a frown forming on his face.

"Why would they be going there? It seems like such a weird place to visit for no reason." Selphie says watching the raging storm through the glass dome, which protects the Bridge from the weather.

"You got that right," Seifer adds unenthusiastically. A lightning bolt flashes directly in front of the speeding Garden, and the thunder shakes the whole structure violently.

"I can't answer that, but what I do know is that we must find them. I fear they may be in great danger." Edea, who has been very quiet, says with a blank face.

The Garden continues to move with a fluid motion, turning gently in the raging storm. Gracefully Headmaster Cid steers it around the last of the remaining mountains on the northern continent and into the open waters.

"What do you mean great danger Matron?" Selphie asks glancing quickly at her.

"I just have a very bad feeling about all of this. Squall and Rinoa leaving us for a journey in the middle of the night, and the Lunar Cry starting, it's all too strange." She answers nearly in a whisper.

"Strange, yes. But it could also be coincidence." Headmaster Cid says bowing his head as if to examine his own feet.

"What?" Seifer asks looking up for the first time in many minutes. He is lost in his own thoughts again, thinking about what has happened to his beloved, lost, Rinoa.

"It's just . . . well it could be something in the back of my mind about Rinoa, and what happened to her the last time this all happened." Headmaster replies obviously not liking the words exiting his mouth, his face contorts making him look a lot older than he is.

"No, that cannot be the case. Rinoa had no control over those circumstances. Even I know that and I wasn't even there!" Seifer screams, a horrible feeling swelling from deep within his stomach nearly forces him to sit down. 

"It is possible there could be a great evil on it's way from the moon, you know that Seifer. I feel something strange in the atmosphere, something very powerful with magic. Cid's thoughts may not be all that crazy." Edea says with an air of Excellency.

"I still wont believe it," Seifer says under his breath.

"So we have to find them. What about Zell, Quistis and Irvine?" Selphie asks the Headmaster. He shrugs, and contemplates the idea of sending two different parties in separate directions.

"I will call them here, we'll decide how to go about the search then." Headmaster Cid replies, still unable to decide how many parties to send. The storm rages out of control just on the other side of the glass that surrounds them.

Flashes of lightning streak across the pitch-black backdrop that is the sky, illuminating the sea around the Garden. The rain is consistent, beating down violently into the glass dome. The sound of the thunder is muffled, yet it rattles the Garden with a ferocity that is amazing.

4: Quistis Renounces

"Unfortunately I do not wish to accompany this mission Headmaster. I would be far too emotionally attached." Quistis says without looking directly into his eyes.

**She thinks she emotionally attached . . . oh Rinoa.**

__"I shouldn't even give you an option, the fate of the world is at hand and you're worried about your emotions Quistis. Please get a hold of yourself, the party needs your Blue Magic." Headmaster says pointing out all the obvious pluses to her accompaniment. He quickly glances into the stormy world; cautious of anything that may be in their paths.

"I still can't, I'm sorry you guys." She says and then turns to walk out of the Bridge. A solitaire tear rolls down her left cheek. 

"Quistis!" Zell says with a compassionate voice. "I understand where you're coming from, I have feelings that I'm wrestling with about this mission too, but we're SeeDs we gotta forget those feelings, cast 'em aside and do as we are asked!"

"Zell, it's not that easy for me. I have to go…" Quistis says as she walks away.

"Well anyone else want out?" Edea asks the depleted group.

**I do**

"That's good, we are almost to Esthar, and I figure that one party will have to do now. Please take advantage of this time and get some rest. Seifer you will be the leader of this group, please take good care of them" Headmaster Cid says, his eyes weary and tired looking.

"…Whatever" Seifer says.

"You are sounding more and more like Squall! Ha!" Zell says laughing. Everyone else has begins to laugh as well, Seifer did not. He drew his gunblade and pointed the tip directly at Zell.

"Would you like to have a scar to match his Zell? Shut up!" Seifer screams at him, then turns and walks out of the room.

"At least he didn't call me chicken-wuss…" Zell states under his breath, while he tries to calm himself down.

"… Ok meet me back here in and hour, we should be there by then." Cid says scratching his head. He wonders if it was the best idea to leave such a depressed Seifer in charge, but he can't see why it won't work.

5: Seifer's Heart

**Why can't I just curl up and die. No one really cares about me… they are just putting on an act. If I could only have my new dream come true… all I want is Rinoa to see me like she did before, is that so much to ask?**

Siefer lies in his dormitory bed with his face pressed down onto a single pillow. His torso is flat against the surface of the hard mattress. His arms are dangling lifelessly from either side of the small cot.

Since becoming an actual SeeD, Seifer has drifted in and out of depression. He normally will walk the garden, searching for Rinoa…but now that Rinoa is gone with Squall he can't even do that.

**Why doesn't she notice me? It was all about her and I when I was seventeen years old. I almost fell in love with her, and I would have if I were only given the chance. Now I am in love with her, and she loves Squall…I hate him!**

The lights above Seifer's head flicker again without going out. The constant roar of the wind hitting the side of the Garden keeps him awake, though sleep is not on his mind right now. The thunder is muffled and yet rattles his core…**something is wrong, very wrong.**

The lights fade out.

The emergence lights flicker on, shedding their red light onto Seifer's room, and undoubtedly the rest of the garden. 

The siren begins to wail.

Seifer can hear students scrambling in the hallways trying to get to the Emerge Check Points. Yet he just lies there, never really caring. He is lost in his own mind. 

Someone slams their fists into Seifer's door, and runs off. Seifer jumps at the sound, but does not move. "…Whatever."

The sirens continue…lulling Seifer back into the world of self-pity that he has created for himself. A paradise where his thoughts no longer matter, and Rinoa is in his arms again.

6: Legendary Assault

"Yo what the hell is that?" Zell says looking at the massive being hovering over the open waters. A shimmering vision…a man with a long grey beard and long flowing capes. In his hand he holds a staff with a crescent moon atop it. The bridge lights up with flashes of purple lightning.

"I'm not too sure Zell…but I think I have seen it in a book in the Library." Cid replies. His face is sweating; gleaming with every flash of lightning.

"Your right! It was… 'Legendary Summons' I think. His name is Ramuh. He was the electricity summon before Quezacotl!" Irvine says then bows his head, as if ashamed that he has done some studying. 

I HAVE BEEN SENT TO DESTROY ALL BEINGS WITHIN THE WALLS OF BALAMB GARDEN. NO ONE MUST OPPOSE THE REIN OF KUJA!

"WHAT! No way! Quezacotl get out there and teach him a …" Zell starts but is interrupted.

"Calm yourself…we can't battle electricity with electricity." Edea says a little too calm for the situation. "We need a water elemental summon, we need Leviathan!"

Leviathan suddenly appears above the Garden, and advances the Tsunami attack. A lightning bolt emits from Ramuh's staff and strikes Leviathan. The Tsunami attack falters but Leviathan recuperates and allows the water to release, dousing Ramuh causing him to flail backward. Leviathan swings it's massive tail and strikes him in the chest. Ramuh falls slowly into the waters as all his energy has been drained from him.

"That was really easy if you ask me…" Selphie says utterly confused.

"It may have been too easy. Who is this **Kuja** character anyway?" The Headmaster asks, already knowing that no one would know the answer. "I think this mission is going to be even more imperative than we first presumed. They have summons, which are far more powerful than any of our Guardian Forces. If they are using the "Legendary Summons" we may all face serious danger."

"Yes, but Cid don't you think we should at least attempt to find out who our enemies are first. We certainly can wage war against the entire world because of this one attack. I think we should stick with our original plan. We can protect the Garden and the SeeDs can go and search for Squall and Rinoa." Edea explains, her voice slightly shaking.

"I see your concern, and understand it Edea. Well I guess we should consult with the entire team. Where is Seifer? He is the only one not here!" The Headmaster exclaims, noticing for the first time that his fearless leader was nowhere to be found. "Selphie! Please go and find him, he couldn't have gotten far, not with the security lock down!"

Selphie nods her head with enthusiasm and skips towards the elevator.


End file.
